Piano, finally

Episode 53 – A Community

G’day and welcome to Episode 53 of Piano, finally, the podcast of a bloke getting around to learning the piano… finally.

This week finds me writing from the foyer of the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith, not the Opera House this time. I was waiting for Shake & Stir’s touring production of 1984, and I have to say, it was an impressive adaptation—just five actors and some clever use of vide...

🎙 Episode 52 – A Dangerous Business

G’day, and welcome back to Piano, Finally—a podcast from an old bloke finally learning the piano. This week’s episode was written once again from the busy foyer of the Sydney Opera House—where Vivid’s light show and some eye-watering appetiser prices ($825!) set the scene before another performance by Sir Stephen Hough.

We begin with an update from the Cliburn piano competition, streaming live on ...

Welcome to Episode 51 of Piano, Finally! This week, I talk about how my piano practice was affected by long work days, debating competitions, and the occasional musical side quest — like programming the Nord Stage 4 to sound like the iconic synth from Van Halen’s Jump. (You’ll hear my first attempt in the progress section.)

In the spirit of broadening musical horizons, this episode’s recommendation is the Early Music Sources channel...

G’day, and welcome to Episode 50 of Piano, Finally! This week marks one full year since the podcast began, and in that time, fifty proper episodes have made it to air. In this episode, I take a moment to reflect on the journey so far — from consistent recording and practicing, to discovering the joy of small but meaningful progress at the piano.

As I write this, I’m sitting in the Sydney Opera House foyer, waiting for a Stephen Houg...

Thanks for tuning in to Episode 49! This week, I talk about why piano lessons are back, how progress changes when there’s someone else listening, and whether it’s worth having a piano teacher at all (spoiler: yes, it is).

🎼 Back to Lessons
Lessons resumed this week after the summer break—though it’s a short term, just five weeks before Devi heads overseas again. Playing the Spindler Canon and the Bagatelle in F in front of some...

🎹 Episode 48 – Dancing about architecture

Welcome to Episode 48. This week, I reflect on remixing, musical distractions, and the sneaky ways we convince ourselves we’re making progress.

🎧 Remixing in the Classroom
Year 9 music students had a workshop on remixing, led by two presenters, including musician Nyxen. I got to sit in on parts of the day and was surprised by how much I enjoyed her music and her breakdown of the product...

Welcome back! In this episode of Piano, finally, I talk about a week of not-much-practice, school restarting, and musical surprises—including a band at a diocesan staff day that, while technically solid, wasn’t quite my style.

🎭 On Stage
If you're in Sydney or the Blue Mountains, tickets are now on sale for the Blue Mountains Musical Society’s production of Come From Away, on at Springwood later this month.
Tickets: ht...

G’day everyone, and welcome to Episode 46 of Piano, Finally!
This week, I’ve been thinking about all the unexpected doors learning the piano opens — doors that aren’t always about the piano itself.

On ANZAC Day, I joined the Hawkesbury District Concert Band as a bus driver for the Sydney march. It was a real privilege to be part of an important community event alongside students and local musicians.

If you’ve been following the C...

Welcome to Episode 45 of Piano, Finally
This week, David reflects on what it really means to “play” the piano—not just as a technical activity but as a source of joy, creativity, and fun.

🚗 Road Trip & Piano Concert
The episode begins with a musical journey—literally—to Armidale for the Piano Plus Showcase Concert, part of the Autumn Piano School. The highlight? Watching Coady Green blaze through two of Anton Rubenstein...

🎹 Episode 44 – Choosing for the Year
Welcome back to Piano, Finally, the podcast by an old bloke finally getting around to learning the piano. In this episode, I share a bit of everything – from an odd experience learning the school song to choosing my piano pieces for the year ahead, and even a book review for those exploring pop piano.

🎵 The School Song Saga
I kicked off the holidays with a curious challenge: trying to p...

🎹 Piano, finally – Episode 43: Artificial Meaning
G’day, everyone! In this week’s episode, I share a bit about live music, online rabbit holes, and thoughts on what makes music meaningful, even in the age of AI.

🎶 Sydney Symphony and Daniil Trifonov
I had the pleasure of hearing Daniil Trifonov perform Rachmaninov’s Fourth Piano Concerto at the Opera House. A magical evening that also featured Lyadov’s The Enchanted Lake—a...

🎙️ Episode 42 – Devi Mamak

G’day, and welcome back to Piano, finally—a podcast by an old bloke learning the piano, finally.

This week’s episode is a little different. I’m thrilled to share the very first interview on the show, and it’s with someone many of you have heard me mention before—my piano teacher, Devi Mamak. We sat down at her studio to chat about music, teaching, and learning piano as an adult. A big thanks to Devi for ta...

🎙 Episode 41 – Pianos and Keyboards
G’day, and welcome back to Piano, Finally – the podcast by an old bloke, finally learning piano. In this episode, we take a look at a curious music theory making the rounds on YouTube, dip a toe into the world of electronic keyboards, and review a more contemporary collection of piano pieces from AMEB’s Rock School.

🎵 A Conspiracy in Classical Music?
It started with a video about using a...

Welcome
Welcome to episode 40 of Piano, Finally! If you're new here, I hope you enjoy the show. If you’re a returning listener, thanks for coming back! If you're learning piano or another instrument, I'd love to hear how you're going—drop me an email at david@pianofinally.show.

This week, I prepared part of this episode at the Sydney Opera House before attending Bell Shakespeare’s Henry V. It’s one of my favo...

🎹 Episode 39 – Choosing Music 🎶

Welcome!
Thanks for tuning in to Episode 39 of Piano, finally! Whether you're a first-time listener or a returning friend, I appreciate you being here. If you're on your own piano-learning journey, feel free to share your progress with me at david@pianofinally.show.

🎧 Piano News & Resources

• 🎼 Chopin Podcast Returns!
  Ben Laude announced that The Chopin Podcast is back with a...

Welcome

G’day, and welcome to Episode 38 of Piano, Finally! If you’re new here, I hope you enjoy the episode. If you’re a returning listener, thanks for coming back!

This week, I’m recording on Saturday instead of Sunday because tomorrow, I’ll be attending my first Sydney Symphony Orchestra concert of the year. The program includes a new work by Australian composer Carl Vine, the Elgar Violin Concerto, and Vaughan Williams’ Symphony ...

Introduction
Welcome to Episode 37 of Piano, Finally, the podcast about learning the piano as an adult. This week, David talks about adding variety to practice routines, an insightful piano teaching podcast, and some exciting upcoming piano events.

Podcast Recommendation – The TopMusic Piano Podcast
Hosted by Rachel Ehring, this podcast is packed with insights for piano teachers, but learners will also find value in its inte...

Balancing big dreams with real progress—this week, I talk about the challenge of picking a new piece to learn. Beethoven’s Waldstein Sonata? Maybe not yet, but setting ambitious goals keeps the journey exciting! 🚀

I’m also diving into Blackout Blues by Andrew Craggs—my first swing rhythm piece! Plus, I review Newzik, a game-changing tool for digital sheet music 📱🎼.

Check out the full episode now! 🎧✨

Introduction
Welcome to Epi...

🔹 Introduction
Welcome to Episode 35! If you're new here, I hope you enjoy the podcast. If you're a returning listener, thanks for coming back! Feel free to share your musical journey with me at david@pianofinally.show.

🔹 This Week’s Highlights

• A busy start to the school year and reflections on getting back into teaching.
• MRI scans took some time away from piano practice, but all is well!
• Watched an amazing two-pian...